Man drives off bluff in Sunset Cliffs

San Diego  A motorist drove over a bluff in Sunset Cliffs early Monday, landing wheels down on the sand in a small cove below.

The driver was able to get out of the car on his own and was walking around and talking right after the impact on the small beach below the parking lot off Sunset Cliffs Boulevard at Osprey Street.

But he did not respond to people at the top of the bluff who were calling to him, said Joseph Howerton, a passer-by who had called 911 about 5:45 a.m. “He was pretty unresponsive,” Howerton said. “He didn’t look up at us.”

It appeared the back end of the 4-door sedan hit the rocks as it plunged down the cliff, estimated at about 35 to 40 feet high, San Diego Fire-Rescue Capt. Joseph Diko said.

Early Monday morning, a driver went over the cliff at Sunset Cliffs Blvd. He got out of the vehicle himself and was sitting on the beach when lifeguards arrived. The car was hauled up the cliff by mid morning.
— Peggy Peattie

Early Monday morning, a driver went over the cliff at Sunset Cliffs Blvd. He got out of the vehicle himself and was sitting on the beach when lifeguards arrived. The car was hauled up the cliff by mid morning.
— Peggy Peattie

When firefighter/paramedic Josh Miramontez reached the man, he was lying under the bluff. And he was combative with rescuers, Miramontez said. “He was fighting, screaming and yelling,” he said.

The department’s helicopter crew was dispatched to lift the man off the sand. A crew member was lowered to the beach and he, Miramontez and two lifeguards who swam to the cove were able to secure the man and lift him to safety. He was flown to UC San Diego Medical Center, Diko said.

He did not have any obvious trauma but was believed to have suffered moderate injuries, officials said. Howerton said the man appeared to be in his 30s. He was alone in the car.

It’s not clear how or why he drove over the cliff. San Diego police Capt. Andy Mills said the man drove through a locked 3-foot high gate at a high speed, breaking the coupling off the metal barrier. It’s unclear if he was heading forward or backing up.

Fire officials said it was possible the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

A large tow truck was called to remove the car from the beach. About 9:30 a.m., two lifeguards in wet suits secured the crumpled car to hoists and it was carefully lifted up the and over the cliff. As dozens of people watched, the car was then towed away.